Good intentions.
RL Date: 5/3/09
IC Date: 8/21/19
Kitchen, Fort Weyr
Fort's kitchens are both immense and well-appointed, which ensures that the kitchen staff is able to feed the Weyr's populace as efficiently as possible. The counters are carved out of the native granite, smoothed and polished through turns of use; there are several stoves and ovens placed along the walls, leaving plenty of room for various cooks to do their job and not be tripping over their fellows. Any ingredients or tools they may need can be found in drawers and cabinets, either within arm's reach or within reach of drudges. Hanging from the ceiling and on hooks on the wall are copper utensils, pots, and pans, all quite well-worn, but still serviceable.
In the middle of this room are a couple of 'islands', composed of wood and with marble countertops, to allow assistants to prepare things and not need to get in the way of the cooks using the main counters. Dumb waiters are located out of the way, but still convenient for getting food down to the living cavern, rather than needing to send people down the stairs. Despite the constant motion and activity -- which slows only at night, but never fully ceases -- everything is meticulously kept clean, from top to bottom.
Breakfast sets things abuzz. Things come out of ovens, get slung carelessly on to counters, get hastily spatula'd on to serving trays, boiling pots get hurriedly emptied in to big bowls, and always always always the constant coming-and-going of the boys and girls whose job it is to make sure things are out on the buffet table. Fortunately, so fortunately, that is not part of Jaeyi's job, so she stays tucked a little more safely in her corner workstation; a little floured, but that's what aprons are for, she presides over a tube-shaped loaf of something doughy, just now starting in to it with a dangerous looking knife. Which might account for why there's no one else around despite the surrounding activity.
Yes, anyone (male or female) who asks where to find Jaeyi is bound to suffer that sort of reaction, also to include one omnipresent dishwasher whose look goes decidedly blacker somewhere between the Harper's greeting and the Baker's sunny reply; "Good morning, my little harper. Come bearing gifts, have we?" To clarify, they're cinnamon rolls she's in the middle of cutting up, now to set them on a buttered baking sheet in between little refresher glances back over her shoulder at chipper Kwei. "Give me a moment and I'll shower you with all due affection, hmn? Nearly done." She puts the knife away, for the record, and beckons an empty hand toward a safe spot he can hunker down in the interim.
Kwei bobs his head. "I have indeed brought gifts." He replies with a beaming smile, "Though admittedly one you requested yourself so I don't think it quite counts the same way." He squeezes himself into the corner, out of the way while she continues to work. He certainly does seem to have a smile plastered onto his face, more so than usual when he's around Jaeyi, though it's probably just earning him more daggers from the dishwasher. "I've got it all wrapped up, but it wouldn't do to get anything on it that's not meant to be there, if you want I can go wait until you're finished in here?" He checks, though he's making no move to leave, the corner gives him a good view after all.
"I'm never finished in here," notes Jaeyi with a laugh that barely conceals threadbare tolerance. Somewhere across the way, someone's just spilled a big pot of something hot and is getting a tongue-lashing from a senior cook, which falls right in line with the put-upon demeanor the Baker bears for her work. But on she toils, getting unbaked cinnamon rolls on to their sheet, pausing about halfway through the task to give Kwei a long, speculative look. "You're awfully cheerful this morning," she decides suddenly. And, because it's exactly the sort of thing that would put /her/ in a good mood, "Got lucky, then?" Except, asking him, it's more a tease than a guess. He's still a chaste little thing in her mind, yes.
Kwei nods his head with a bright laugh. "A bakers work is never done?" A sympathetic smile flashing her way thanks to her predicament. "There are many of us who worship you for the commitment and sacrifices you endure to make sure we're feed well." Those perhaps rank a bit lower in the scale of possible reasons for worshiping her mind you. "Lucky?" He repeats back as innocently as he can manage, the deep scarlet colour that rises to his cheeks is all the answer she needs to get an affirmative on the reason why he's tripping along so happily, his gaze unable to meet hers while his ears burn deeply.
No, it's not the most sanitary thing to do, but Jaeyi claps her hand over her open mouth so as to stop gaping so blatantly at red-eared Kwei. Fortunately, she seems already to have gotten through putting the uncooked rolls on the sheet to rise, and she's very very very quick to lay a few cloths over the top and come hurrying back over to his corner, saying busily, "You did! Oh my word." One day, when she's very old and fat, she'll make a very happy gossipy old auntie, so right now it's sort of like practice. Aiming to collect his one hand in both of hers, she at least has the decency not to press him about it right out here in the open, with people busying about, but would rather take him off into a little spice-rack alcove-- where normally she'd probably be set to try and lead him astray, but there don't seem to be any seductive notions at present. "We /must/ discuss this."
Kwei's ears flush even more when she grabs him by the hand and drags him into the alcove. "Discuss it?" He blinks at her. "Why, we don't need to discuss something like that?" He replies, a touch panicky, though he's not managed to get the sense together for much else just yet.
"Because it's important," duh. Jaeyi sticks her head out a moment, assures no one's liable to come looking for garlic powder or paprika or anything useful like that, then it's all lovely furtive big eyes while she puts him safely on one side of the cupboard and herself on the other. See? Nothing untoward about it. "How long has this been going on? Are you two going to run off and get married? That would be so romantic-- but probably foolish. Does anyone else know?" Another gasp, both hands tented over her mouth, "Does your sister? Does her brother?" Such dramatics.
Kwei doesn't look convinced, even with the big doe eyes look she's giving him. "It's important to us." He explains slowly, hoping in vain that she'll give up. "No you can't let anyone know, I'm still an apprentice, my hall has /really/ strict rules about this kind of thing." You can almost see the panic rising in his eyes. "We are not getting married, that would completely give that one away!" The rest about does so and so know is lost in rising panic.
Jaeyi, hurriedly, "Relax. I'm not going to tell anyone. I promise." Two very solemn fingers held up to make it an oath and everything, then she's reaching across to busily pet his shoulder and arm in a way that, if he were a puppy, would probably be quite calming. Too bad he's not a puppy. "You may as well just tell me now and save all the wheedling." Though it is at least pretty wheedling instead of pathetic, nosy pestering. "How long has this been going on? Once? Twice? A month?"
Kwei takes a few deep breaths to calm himself, looking at her for reassurance that really she's not just saying that, of course looking at Jaeyi doesn't usually help him in that calm relaxing way. "Okay shush then, I'm pretty sure T'rev knows, he was the one that got her the stuff for you know, not making babies." There's a fresh blush at that one, one of those how did I get myself into this conversation? But unfortunately for him and fortunately for Jaey's curiosity, male pride comes to the rescue or is it. "All this week." He almost preens, but that's not likely to last long.
"Oh good, because-- promises aside-- I probably would have told T'rev." So that at least gets Jaeyi out of the probability of breaking confidence. Even if it is, in her mind, on a very small scale. "But no one else, I promise." She stops petting him at that, likely for the best, and goes back to her side of the cupboard to try and find a way to lean comfortably with a shelf in her spine. It's not as easy as she makes it look. "All this week. No wonder you seem especially dapper. Proud of yourself, I take it?"
That panic flashes across Kwei's features again for a moment. "That ones fine, Don't tell Su though, I don't really know how she'll react." Or for that matter how to tell her. Oh hi sis, I'm having sex now? Doesn't sound good for his prospects does it.. "Proud? Ummm" He falters, hovering on the edge of, is this a trap. "I guess so, she's not complained about anything so I guess I'm doing things right." The edge of worry and doubt is there, no matter how much it damages his manly image to think he can't just step into that role and be a stud.
She /really/ ought to stop promising not to tell people, given how crestfallen she looks at don't-tell-Su. No? There's the very beginning of a pout, but Jaeyi can't really commit to it, and surrenders the affectation with a crinkle of her nose and a serious little nod. Fine, fine, she won't tell Su. "I know it's probably not so heartening, my dear boy, but she hasn't got much basis for comparison right now, has she? So, even if you're doing a very poor job of it-- and I'm not suggesting that you are-- she wouldn't really know better, would she?" In a very simple, cheerful way, she means that to be reassuring.
Kwei keeps his eyes focused on Jaeyi, still trying to fathom what she's going to do, or more importantly what she's not going to do in regards to keeping her word. "No, she doesn't neither do I mind you." Again that look of self doubt shows up, reassuring? No it's not, not really.
With just a little testy self-importance, Jaeyi counters, "Well, that wasn't for lack of trying on my part, was it." But it is lack of trying now. All alone in a spice cupboard and she's /not/ throwing herself at Kwei, so maybe his going-all-the-way with Levania affects more than just the spring in his step, hmn? "Don't look so worried. I promise. Let's go and have cinnamon rolls and milk and I'll put that card away some place safe. And we can talk about something other than your sex life, yes? It seems to be making you very nervous." She dragged him in, sure, but she only offers a hand for leading him out.
Kwei blinks and backs off, well at least he tries to, there are racks behind him as well and he just casts his eyes down. "I I'm sorry?" He offers up a quiet apology to her, lost little puppy that he is. "Rolls, milk and talking about something else. That sound good." He perks up tremendously at the lifeline offered to him and doesn't hesitate to talk a hold of her hand to be led out of the alcove as he offers the card out to her. That's just going to look soooo bad to anyone else though.
Considering they're both still dressed and neither one breathless, the kitchen staff have seen plenty worse of the people with whom Jaeyi emerges from cupboards. Also, "It's all right. My pride has quite come to terms with it." Careful with the card, less ginger with drawing Kwei along by the one hand, she aims to deposit him safely back in the corner where he started out, saying, "Wait here." She has to go off and stow the card safely among her not-floury-work-stuff, and collect cooked rolls and glasses of milk on the way back, leaving time for the Harper to collect himself after being harassed about his new sex life.
Kwei may not be breathless, but he's still flushed enough to be a cause of concern. "IfI" He starts but just fails silent and goes to stand in his corner while he waits on her return, mostly he's staring at the floor until he feels composed enough to risk looking at the rest of the kitchen and no doubt sees several faces turning quickly away.
Gone long enough to appreciate the card, to smile at it before she tucks it into the pocket of an apron she won't be wearing today, to collect rolls-- one with frosting, one without-- to pour milk, to give one particularly snoopy onlooking girl a warning look on her way back, Jaeyi sets everything down on the counter with a triumphant little smile. Look! She has brought food! Like she doesn't do this every damn day. "If you what?" Right back to what he hadn't finished before while she hops up onto the counter in lieu of a proper chair. She's probably been chastised about sitting on the counters before, but there's the whole doesn't-care factor to consider.
Kwei continues to look around the kitchens, watching the hustle and bustle, seeing some of the younger ones on chores that he teaches in the afternoons. Most of them don't look all that impressed to be doing what they're doing, but life goes on and the kitchen ticks over around him until Jaeyi comes back and everything comes to a sudden halt again. "Nothing, it's not important." He tells her as he pushes away from the wall to lean against the counter next to her, glass of milk coming up into his hand, that way he's not looking right at her, that may help his nerves a bit. "I think I asked before, I can't remember if you answered or not, do the bakers use any kind of chnats or whatever for the work that you do?"
Jaeyi puts the plate with the stickier of the two rolls on her lap, questions the not-important dismissal with raised eyebrows. She's not good at nothing-ing things away, the kind of person who pesters and pesters and repeats, "If you what, Kwei?" Also the kind of person who prefers to be looked at than looked away from, she leans down a little, a point made to notice that he's looking at milk and not her. And, while her heels hit with absolutely no sense of rhythm on the cupboard doors beneath her, while the rest of the kitchen has silverware to wash and bread to start slicing for lunch and oatmeal to get ladled out, she can wait in a very obvious way: she's not going to answer his question till he answers hers, so there.
Kwei is trying to concentrate here and Jaeyi's not making that easy on him with the heels bouncing next to him he turns his head round to look at her, and she's probably way too close for him but he has his glass of milk to nurse. "Just what we've talked about before. Bout if I wasn't with Vani." He murmurs softly, taking a drink of the milk to hide, though forgets to lick the moustache off straight after.
"But you are." Which is why there's nothing especially inappropriate about the fingers she's set to put under Kwei's chin, the thumb that'll take care of his milk-moustache. Nothing /especially/ inappropriate, considering the number of things Jaeyi's tried in the past. "Mmn, Trish there--" She nods across the way to an older woman just now chastising a girl very likely one of the Harper's students about why, dearie, we don't run with paring knives in our hands, off with you. "She hums sometimes? But I think her songs might be a bit randy for what you're after." More thump-click from her heels on the cupboard doors.
Kwei freezes when her fingers go to his lips, though it doesn't last long once her intentions are made clear and he smiles back at her. "Whoops. Still too nervous huh?" Not really a question. "I don't think that's really what I'm looking for." He ponders. "given I have to perform these for Cirse. I'll just have to make something up from one of the recipes then, or just abandon in favour of the weavers."
Jaeyi pats his cheek in a there, all better finale and goes to pulling apart coils of frostinged cinnamon roll. Tucking a bite into her back teeth, half-covering her mouth with her fingers, she says, "You might get more mileage from Kaida's work. I saw her at her... spinning wheel thingie? That seems like it has loads of potential. Not like--" She winces when someone knocks over a tray of pans, which then spill to the floor in a catastrophically loud clatter followed by a series of oh-sorrys and would you /please/ be more careful?! "Not like here. But you can look through a recipe book if it'll make you happy." She doesn't think it will, says that tone.
Kwei smiles and nods his head. "I've done some work with Kaida already, I've put together a drum rhythm based on one of her knitting patterns. The words that go with it are the instructions for the knitter." He explains, particularly proud of the first ever song he's written, no matter how mince it actually is. "She'd suggest I speak to the Journeyman here, there's one who actually does weaving and she reckons the looms will be really good for it after I did that other piece with her." He reaches for the other bun, the non frosted one, she remembered and bites a chunk out of it, chewing away as he watches her, swallow and. "Why do you bake?" He asks.
"Bry-something. He's happily married, apparently." The world according to Jaeyi: men she can have and ones she has to try harder to get. As to his song, "I look forward to hearing it, then. In a more--" Chop chop chop ow, I've done it again! "--appropriate venue." Look, she's even being nice enough to wipe her fingers on the corner of her apron instead of lip-chasing frosting and butter and cinnamon, giving Kwei a sort of puzzled look over the top of her own raised glass. "I don't know. Why do you play songs?" she answers.
Kwei nods his head in reply. "Yeah that's the one." He confirms with a smile and a few more bites of cinnamon roll disappear down his throat. "I play because I enjoy it, the emotions you can stir in others when they listen, an appreciative audience. There's a certain thrill to it. Performing in front of all those people."
There's a very simple question to that; "But not for yourself?" Jaeyi puts the plate off her lap back on to the counter, leaves her knees free for holding her hands which in turn hold her glass, and she clarifies, "That can't be all of it, what you can stir in other people. Don't you ever play because, I don't know, you want to? For yourself?"
Kwei smiles at her, there's a certain warmth and affection showing through in that smile as he talks about his vocation. "I enjoy doing it, whether for myself or for others, it's just a stronger sense of." He pauses, struggling for the word. "Empowerment?" He finally adds.
"So is it," begins Jaeyi, easy enough to meet his smile fondly, clearly quite content to foster warmth-and-affection under whatever terms. "Is it vanity then? Captivating people, evoking their emotions the way you want them to, it seems..." She lifts one hand from her glass, waves it at some insubstantial thing, some concept they neither one of them seem capable of pinning down verbally. "Vain. --Not a criticism," she adds promptly.
Kwei continues to smile and shakes his head, "I understand that point, I would think vanity would mean a bit more self conceit behind it, and although I know I'm good. My talent means nothing if it falls on deaf ears, the emotions have to have been there in the first lace for a good song to raise them to the surface of your consciousness." He can only hope he's making sense.
Jaeyi shakes her head quickly at that, counters, "No. No, that's not true. I've never lost someone, for example, all my hurts are little-girl hurts, but a good musician and a sad song will still put me to crying like a child." Never mind all the professions of being a poor audience. Still, proud of herself for making a point if not a particularly eloquent one, she lifts her glass and drinks to her own logic. Fuzzy as it is. "I think anyone who performs, creates, whatever must have some conceit in them," she adds, leans over to make it seem a little apologetic and confidential at once.
Kwei nods his head. "But you've got to be capable of feeling the pain that the song invokes when it's done properly. If you can't do that then it won't make a difference how good I am as a musician." Talking at cross purposes probably, but hey he's still denying the conceit, even after admitting that he knows he's good enough, he's being getting told he's good since he was young so he doesn't see it as conceit, just a fact. "Perhaps to an extent, otherwise we'd be filled with self doubt and be unable to perform for our um audience." The last comes out with a bit of a cough as she leans over, they're rather close already, his eyes dropping down and staright back up again to find hers.
"But. I don't think that's right. Somehow. Like, I suppose you do have to be capable of feeling whatever it is the song's supposed to be drawing out, yes, but if it's the song that puts it there? Or the singer, or whatever." Jaeyi, lips skewed, still can't spell it out the way she wants to, and clearly, with the half-troubled look she essays, rather wishes Kwei would just figure it out on his own. With a sigh, for once actually unaware what leaning over is doing to her um audience, she concludes, "I think it's all right to be vain, so long as it's toward good ends. If you play pretty songs to make people enjoy them and it makes you feel good, so much the better, hmn?"
Kwei tilts his head to look at her from a slightly different angle. "I hope that I can manage to evoke the right emotions when I sing my songs." He says, "Some are harder than others, ones I have no experience of, I find harder than ones I have my own emotions to pour into my efforts." He shakes his head and drinks up the last of his milk, before sliding the glass up onto the counter next to her. "I hope that's how I come across rather than being vain and conceited?" He asks, looking for some form of reassurance.
She doesn't finish her own milk or her own roll, but still stacks the dishes in the habitual way of a person that's learned the value of cleaning-as-you-go. In kitchens as busy as this, imagine the mess if no one tidied up after themselves. "Don't worry," Jaeyi says with plucky cheer, ready to leave off a conversation entirely too complicated for the both of them. Just shy of resting her forehead on Kwei's she promises like it's a big secret, "I've never thought of you as a conceited little bastard or anything." Hopefully that's reassuring enough for him?
Kwei brushes a few crumbs off his tunic as he turns his body to the side, leaning his hip against the counter. "I'll take that as a compliment." He says with a laugh as he straightens up, brushing a light kiss on her forehead in the process given they were so close already, "Thank you." The smile definitely still there as he looks at her, a twinkle in his eyes. "Is there anything else you're needing for this surprise?"
"No. And I'm sorry. I got so caught up in--" Jaeyi's fingers twitter aimlessly to indicate all-that-other-stuff, land on the counter afterward to ease her sliding on down to her feet. "That I didn't even say thank you. So. /Thank you./ Thank you thank you thank you." Off the counter, her hands clasp prettily and tuck under her chin, cherubic. There's an expectation, the way she tilts her cheek, that he'll kiss that next-- but then there's also an expectation that, this being Kwei, it's not gonna happen. It doesn't strictly make sense, but most things sixteen-year-old girls do don't make sense.
Kwei is obviously feeling a lot more confident in himself now that he's getting laid and he watches her as she drops down to stand again, leaning over and up on his toes to place his lips where indicated. "Anytime darling." He responds after the light kiss, he is straightening back up again quickly, though she's three inches taller than him so it's not like it makes much of a difference in the grand scheme of things.
In an affected pout, Jaeyi says, "Well, hell. If I'd known it was going to be that easy, I'd have picked a slightly more engaging place to be kissed." Cursing her bad fortune with a snicker, she stacks up the dishes tidily and is all set to go flouncing off to deliver them to a dishwasher-- a different dishwasher, thankfully, since that first one would not have looked kindly on little Harpers kissing 'his' Baker-- aside from a briefly fetching look cast over at the three-apples-high Harper. (See?) "I've always been fond of that little... spot right below the ear. Shall I show you?" She'd be happy to~!
"Maybe next time it's warranted." Replies Kwei with a laugh as he leans back against the counter for the moment, while she goes about sorting things out. "Just there." He asks when she comes back, pointing a finger to just the right spot on her neck. "Do all girls like that then?" He checks, a wave of curiosity shining across his features, he obviously has discovered this one already.
And apparently that's as far as her very best intentions go; "Why don't you find out?" Jaeyi even leans an elbow on the counter, which helps with the whole three-inches issue. It is a pretty neck she offers, if a little plumper and less fair than the one with which Kwei's already familiar.
It's also as far as Kwei's resolve can carry him as well. "Umm, no." As her neck is put on offer, plumper just means there's more for him to sink his teeth into and by her offer he's already managed to get his answer. "I think it's probably the same and I don't want you having the same reaction in here as Vani did when I found that spot." He explains.
Well, at least she's learned by now to contain her disappointment. Though, "Quite sure?" Yes? She'll even take a caaaaaautious step closer. "Mmn, well, if you change your mind. Should I pack you a lunch or something?" Because, if he's not going to take bites of her, darnit, Jaeyi can at least give him something practical with which to go about his day.
Kwei nods his head at her question, though it's longer before he can tear his eyes away her neck. "Lunch, change mind, umm." He blinks and refocuses on her. "Lunch, would be great if you really don't mind." He offers up one of his best charming smiles, which all told is a really nice smile that he probably charms his way through some of the older aunties and leaves some of the younger ones all wistful. But Jaeyi?
But Jaeyi what? She's a girl, isn't she, and she must think Kwei's cute or she wouldn't be-- well, offering him bites and things, would she? She basks duly in light of that smile, then its fingers drumming the counter top and, again, "Wait here." He asked why she's a Baker, and there's no better answer than the way she bounces around the kitchen, collecting up a sandwich, picking through a bowl of fruit to find a pretty pear, looking irritated that someone's left the crackers out and they've gone stale so she has to go and get out a new jar, to put it all in a little lunch basket that she ties up on her way back. The short version: she likes feeding people, it makes her happy.
Can never be sure how Jaeyi the baker will react differently to those girls he normally interacts with. At her command to 'wait here' Kwei does exactly that, staying put, leaning against the counter while his eyes follow her, marking her progress as she, to him, dances around the kitchen in search of all the things she wants to feed to him for lunch. Making note of it all see if he can use it for that song.
Probably not. Unless it involves rattling around jars that are supposed to contain crackers and finding out they contain peanuts instead. But Jaeyi gets what she's after at the end, brings it all over and sets it down on the counter next to Kwei. Again. Triumphant. Again. Like she doesn't do this all day long. "There you are. Now I won't worry that you're off somewhere expiring from hunger," she concludes with a peachy smile of her own.
It's the feeling and emotional drive that goes into the creative process that matters, and in this case watching the baker fuss around in her own performance to deliver the final article to him is more than enough. "Thank you again." He tells her as he pushes away from the counter top to look up at her. "With you around to feed me, I'm sure that'll never happen." He replies sincerely.
"I'm fairly sure," begins Jaeyi with a thoughtful purse of her lips, "that would be the final straw for my apprenticeship. If all of the sudden people started dying of hunger around here. Sort of like if people's eardrums started bleeding or something, they might question your capabilities." Neither of which are the most elegant lines of thought, but, leaning with both elbows behind her on the counter, she does entertain the notions for a few morbid moments. Then, brightly, moving on thankfully, "You're welcome," with a smile to Kwei's eyes at that.
Kwei shakes his head with a laugh. "It wouldn't go down well that's for sure, and my audience with Cirse would likely get cancelled." He adds with a mock sigh. "Anyway, I suppose my task was completed a while ago, I'm probably getting listed as missing action or something." He says with a sigh as he reaches past her for the basket aiming a kiss towards her cheek on the way past, that's his intention anyway.
Seeing as it's Jaeyi we're dealing with, there'll never be any knowing whether she actually meant to just glance at the basket or whether turning her head so it's more the corner of her mouth, less the apple of her cheek where the kiss lands. The fingers that fold up in the front of his tunic, though, since he's like right there and all, there's no pretending that's not on purpose. "They'll send a search party for you, will they?" she asks in one of her furtive little whispers.
There was no intentions of smooching or anything, just a light friendly kiss to say thank you for the packed lunch so although his lips catch hers he's not lingering. Well until she takes hold of his tunic and holds him nice and close. "If the journeyman notices I'm not there, he'll send at least one of the class out to find me, I'm supposed to be playing the teaching songs today." Held close enough that she'll be able to feel his breath blowing warm on her face, his hand going to the counter edge to steady himself.
A glance finds its way over his shoulder before Jaeyi's looking right back at Kwei with very serious-seeming eyes, gravity quite at odds with the rest of the situation. "That might be a little awkward," she answers, as to one-of-the-class being sent on a rescue mission. "You best go then." Except, still with his shirt in her fingers, just a little press closer by virtue of straightening some on her elbow, she's not really aiming to make best-go-then an immediate prophesy.
This is the closest he's been to Jaeyi, well other than that time in the commons, but even so Kwei finds her presence this close is intoxicating. His body tense, the hand that isn't holding him up is held out at his side, no idea where to put that other than keep it out of the way so he doesn't end up putting it on her, his tongue licking nervously at his lips, his eyes locked on hers as she speaks to him, it's using up too much of his attention thinking about these little things that he's not really in a position to be paying all that much attention to the words. "Umm yes." Is all of what makes it past his suddenly dry lips.
Not a good idea to go agreeing blindly with Jaeyi. For the record. Because the next suggestion is, "Or stay a while." Something's got to give, some crash of dishes or someone come looking for one or the other of them, something to make this a survivable situation. Something other than her drawing against Kwei, all the warm, soft, sugary smelling silliness of her too close to be properly fair. She takes a breath. She leans in. She lets go of his shirt with a very careful smile in place. No harm done?
Kwei is concentrating very hard, framed by thick black lashes she has very lovely dark brown eyes that he would just sink towards if he wasn't concentrating so much on keeping the rest of his body in check. The release of his shirt helps with a bit of that tension and gives him a bit more active brain power, he blinks a few times. "Time for me to go yes?" He asks stupidly even if he's not actually moved away anywhere yet despite her leaning closer.
Yes? "No." Jaeyi shakes her head only a very little against the whispered answer, since much more than a very little might result in upsetting an already precarious arrangement of their respective persons. Having quit his shirt, there's nothing useful for her hand to do but reach toward his, fingertips to brush against the inside curl of his conscientiously not-touching-her fingers. It's not kissing, not technically, but her lips are very definitely faintly a tiny bit touching Kwei's.
There's a little moan of frustration escapes from Kwei's lips, her breath warm on his lips as she shakes her head, even that little movement enough for him to feel it. His eyes close tightly and stay that way until her fingertips brush against his, the little spark of physical contact enough that his fingers close reflexively, snagging hers in the process. The spark doesn't stop there though, it seems to travel quickly through him, breaking down the last of his resolve as he pushes his lips forward that last whisper of a distance to press against hers.
That little gasp is actually one of surprise, believe it or not, because she really hadn't expected that to work. Now she wishes she had her fingers back, since pulling at the front of Kwei's tunic now would be an even more appealing prospect, but Jaeyi makes do getting her fingers tangled in his and aiming to draw now attached hands back, to pull that arm around her waist. She is, probably obviously, a very kissable person, soft and receptive and beckoning lips all sans shyness. It's not... safe to go on kissing her very long, though, not the way she presses closer and would very clearly have more and deeper kisses. In the kitchen. In the middle of the morning.
It's with a quickly deepening passion that Kwei sinks into the kiss, pressing into Jaeyi as he goes. All that teasing she's done to him in the past catching up and paying dividends now, well until there is a loud crash as something metallic and heavy hits the floor. A large porridge pot rolling across the floor in the next aisle as Jaeyi's dishwasher admirer looks on in shocked anger? Kwei jerks back as if electrocuted, hands immediately smoothing down the front of his tunic. "Thanks for lunch." He manages to stammer as he makes a grab for the basket. See only one person saw it! He hopes. "I'll um speak to you later right?" He's starting to back up a bit, making sure there's enough distance between them so that when one of the cooks comes to start scolding the dishwasher for spilling the mostly empty porridge pot him and Jaeyi are at a safer distance.
Jaeyi will wind up stabbing someone one day, wait and see, probably the butterfingered dishwasher. Abrupt as that ends, she only manages not to land rather hard back against the edge of the counter by virtue of the fact that the one hand is nearly behind her anyway. Still, she has to push to stand upright, quietly wiping her lips with a folded forefinger, giving Kwei a rather worried look-- sort of the same kind of look she might give someone whose hair has just caught on fire only they don't seem to have noticed yet, waiting for the ensuing panic to resolve itself. She can't really say anything-- 'Sorry we we totally had tongues in each others' mouths, see you later?' Doesn't seem right. So she just sort of nods busily to send him on his way; she'll save looking troubled for when he's safely out of the kitchen, yes.
Kwei bobs his head as he looks at her, his gaze flickering down then back up again to meet he eyes. There is a faint smile still showing on his lips thanks to what just happened between them, yet confusion is the reigning emotion in his posture and his eyes. "Yeah." He murmurs quietly before he turns and walks away, not quite a run, but certainly hurried, if she's listening really hard she may hear a faint whisper that might have sounded like. "Idiot!"
IC Date: 8/21/19
Kitchen, Fort Weyr
Fort's kitchens are both immense and well-appointed, which ensures that the kitchen staff is able to feed the Weyr's populace as efficiently as possible. The counters are carved out of the native granite, smoothed and polished through turns of use; there are several stoves and ovens placed along the walls, leaving plenty of room for various cooks to do their job and not be tripping over their fellows. Any ingredients or tools they may need can be found in drawers and cabinets, either within arm's reach or within reach of drudges. Hanging from the ceiling and on hooks on the wall are copper utensils, pots, and pans, all quite well-worn, but still serviceable.
In the middle of this room are a couple of 'islands', composed of wood and with marble countertops, to allow assistants to prepare things and not need to get in the way of the cooks using the main counters. Dumb waiters are located out of the way, but still convenient for getting food down to the living cavern, rather than needing to send people down the stairs. Despite the constant motion and activity -- which slows only at night, but never fully ceases -- everything is meticulously kept clean, from top to bottom.
Breakfast sets things abuzz. Things come out of ovens, get slung carelessly on to counters, get hastily spatula'd on to serving trays, boiling pots get hurriedly emptied in to big bowls, and always always always the constant coming-and-going of the boys and girls whose job it is to make sure things are out on the buffet table. Fortunately, so fortunately, that is not part of Jaeyi's job, so she stays tucked a little more safely in her corner workstation; a little floured, but that's what aprons are for, she presides over a tube-shaped loaf of something doughy, just now starting in to it with a dangerous looking knife. Which might account for why there's no one else around despite the surrounding activity.
Yes, anyone (male or female) who asks where to find Jaeyi is bound to suffer that sort of reaction, also to include one omnipresent dishwasher whose look goes decidedly blacker somewhere between the Harper's greeting and the Baker's sunny reply; "Good morning, my little harper. Come bearing gifts, have we?" To clarify, they're cinnamon rolls she's in the middle of cutting up, now to set them on a buttered baking sheet in between little refresher glances back over her shoulder at chipper Kwei. "Give me a moment and I'll shower you with all due affection, hmn? Nearly done." She puts the knife away, for the record, and beckons an empty hand toward a safe spot he can hunker down in the interim.
Kwei bobs his head. "I have indeed brought gifts." He replies with a beaming smile, "Though admittedly one you requested yourself so I don't think it quite counts the same way." He squeezes himself into the corner, out of the way while she continues to work. He certainly does seem to have a smile plastered onto his face, more so than usual when he's around Jaeyi, though it's probably just earning him more daggers from the dishwasher. "I've got it all wrapped up, but it wouldn't do to get anything on it that's not meant to be there, if you want I can go wait until you're finished in here?" He checks, though he's making no move to leave, the corner gives him a good view after all.
"I'm never finished in here," notes Jaeyi with a laugh that barely conceals threadbare tolerance. Somewhere across the way, someone's just spilled a big pot of something hot and is getting a tongue-lashing from a senior cook, which falls right in line with the put-upon demeanor the Baker bears for her work. But on she toils, getting unbaked cinnamon rolls on to their sheet, pausing about halfway through the task to give Kwei a long, speculative look. "You're awfully cheerful this morning," she decides suddenly. And, because it's exactly the sort of thing that would put /her/ in a good mood, "Got lucky, then?" Except, asking him, it's more a tease than a guess. He's still a chaste little thing in her mind, yes.
Kwei nods his head with a bright laugh. "A bakers work is never done?" A sympathetic smile flashing her way thanks to her predicament. "There are many of us who worship you for the commitment and sacrifices you endure to make sure we're feed well." Those perhaps rank a bit lower in the scale of possible reasons for worshiping her mind you. "Lucky?" He repeats back as innocently as he can manage, the deep scarlet colour that rises to his cheeks is all the answer she needs to get an affirmative on the reason why he's tripping along so happily, his gaze unable to meet hers while his ears burn deeply.
No, it's not the most sanitary thing to do, but Jaeyi claps her hand over her open mouth so as to stop gaping so blatantly at red-eared Kwei. Fortunately, she seems already to have gotten through putting the uncooked rolls on the sheet to rise, and she's very very very quick to lay a few cloths over the top and come hurrying back over to his corner, saying busily, "You did! Oh my word." One day, when she's very old and fat, she'll make a very happy gossipy old auntie, so right now it's sort of like practice. Aiming to collect his one hand in both of hers, she at least has the decency not to press him about it right out here in the open, with people busying about, but would rather take him off into a little spice-rack alcove-- where normally she'd probably be set to try and lead him astray, but there don't seem to be any seductive notions at present. "We /must/ discuss this."
Kwei's ears flush even more when she grabs him by the hand and drags him into the alcove. "Discuss it?" He blinks at her. "Why, we don't need to discuss something like that?" He replies, a touch panicky, though he's not managed to get the sense together for much else just yet.
"Because it's important," duh. Jaeyi sticks her head out a moment, assures no one's liable to come looking for garlic powder or paprika or anything useful like that, then it's all lovely furtive big eyes while she puts him safely on one side of the cupboard and herself on the other. See? Nothing untoward about it. "How long has this been going on? Are you two going to run off and get married? That would be so romantic-- but probably foolish. Does anyone else know?" Another gasp, both hands tented over her mouth, "Does your sister? Does her brother?" Such dramatics.
Kwei doesn't look convinced, even with the big doe eyes look she's giving him. "It's important to us." He explains slowly, hoping in vain that she'll give up. "No you can't let anyone know, I'm still an apprentice, my hall has /really/ strict rules about this kind of thing." You can almost see the panic rising in his eyes. "We are not getting married, that would completely give that one away!" The rest about does so and so know is lost in rising panic.
Jaeyi, hurriedly, "Relax. I'm not going to tell anyone. I promise." Two very solemn fingers held up to make it an oath and everything, then she's reaching across to busily pet his shoulder and arm in a way that, if he were a puppy, would probably be quite calming. Too bad he's not a puppy. "You may as well just tell me now and save all the wheedling." Though it is at least pretty wheedling instead of pathetic, nosy pestering. "How long has this been going on? Once? Twice? A month?"
Kwei takes a few deep breaths to calm himself, looking at her for reassurance that really she's not just saying that, of course looking at Jaeyi doesn't usually help him in that calm relaxing way. "Okay shush then, I'm pretty sure T'rev knows, he was the one that got her the stuff for you know, not making babies." There's a fresh blush at that one, one of those how did I get myself into this conversation? But unfortunately for him and fortunately for Jaey's curiosity, male pride comes to the rescue or is it. "All this week." He almost preens, but that's not likely to last long.
"Oh good, because-- promises aside-- I probably would have told T'rev." So that at least gets Jaeyi out of the probability of breaking confidence. Even if it is, in her mind, on a very small scale. "But no one else, I promise." She stops petting him at that, likely for the best, and goes back to her side of the cupboard to try and find a way to lean comfortably with a shelf in her spine. It's not as easy as she makes it look. "All this week. No wonder you seem especially dapper. Proud of yourself, I take it?"
That panic flashes across Kwei's features again for a moment. "That ones fine, Don't tell Su though, I don't really know how she'll react." Or for that matter how to tell her. Oh hi sis, I'm having sex now? Doesn't sound good for his prospects does it.. "Proud? Ummm" He falters, hovering on the edge of, is this a trap. "I guess so, she's not complained about anything so I guess I'm doing things right." The edge of worry and doubt is there, no matter how much it damages his manly image to think he can't just step into that role and be a stud.
She /really/ ought to stop promising not to tell people, given how crestfallen she looks at don't-tell-Su. No? There's the very beginning of a pout, but Jaeyi can't really commit to it, and surrenders the affectation with a crinkle of her nose and a serious little nod. Fine, fine, she won't tell Su. "I know it's probably not so heartening, my dear boy, but she hasn't got much basis for comparison right now, has she? So, even if you're doing a very poor job of it-- and I'm not suggesting that you are-- she wouldn't really know better, would she?" In a very simple, cheerful way, she means that to be reassuring.
Kwei keeps his eyes focused on Jaeyi, still trying to fathom what she's going to do, or more importantly what she's not going to do in regards to keeping her word. "No, she doesn't neither do I mind you." Again that look of self doubt shows up, reassuring? No it's not, not really.
With just a little testy self-importance, Jaeyi counters, "Well, that wasn't for lack of trying on my part, was it." But it is lack of trying now. All alone in a spice cupboard and she's /not/ throwing herself at Kwei, so maybe his going-all-the-way with Levania affects more than just the spring in his step, hmn? "Don't look so worried. I promise. Let's go and have cinnamon rolls and milk and I'll put that card away some place safe. And we can talk about something other than your sex life, yes? It seems to be making you very nervous." She dragged him in, sure, but she only offers a hand for leading him out.
Kwei blinks and backs off, well at least he tries to, there are racks behind him as well and he just casts his eyes down. "I I'm sorry?" He offers up a quiet apology to her, lost little puppy that he is. "Rolls, milk and talking about something else. That sound good." He perks up tremendously at the lifeline offered to him and doesn't hesitate to talk a hold of her hand to be led out of the alcove as he offers the card out to her. That's just going to look soooo bad to anyone else though.
Considering they're both still dressed and neither one breathless, the kitchen staff have seen plenty worse of the people with whom Jaeyi emerges from cupboards. Also, "It's all right. My pride has quite come to terms with it." Careful with the card, less ginger with drawing Kwei along by the one hand, she aims to deposit him safely back in the corner where he started out, saying, "Wait here." She has to go off and stow the card safely among her not-floury-work-stuff, and collect cooked rolls and glasses of milk on the way back, leaving time for the Harper to collect himself after being harassed about his new sex life.
Kwei may not be breathless, but he's still flushed enough to be a cause of concern. "IfI" He starts but just fails silent and goes to stand in his corner while he waits on her return, mostly he's staring at the floor until he feels composed enough to risk looking at the rest of the kitchen and no doubt sees several faces turning quickly away.
Gone long enough to appreciate the card, to smile at it before she tucks it into the pocket of an apron she won't be wearing today, to collect rolls-- one with frosting, one without-- to pour milk, to give one particularly snoopy onlooking girl a warning look on her way back, Jaeyi sets everything down on the counter with a triumphant little smile. Look! She has brought food! Like she doesn't do this every damn day. "If you what?" Right back to what he hadn't finished before while she hops up onto the counter in lieu of a proper chair. She's probably been chastised about sitting on the counters before, but there's the whole doesn't-care factor to consider.
Kwei continues to look around the kitchens, watching the hustle and bustle, seeing some of the younger ones on chores that he teaches in the afternoons. Most of them don't look all that impressed to be doing what they're doing, but life goes on and the kitchen ticks over around him until Jaeyi comes back and everything comes to a sudden halt again. "Nothing, it's not important." He tells her as he pushes away from the wall to lean against the counter next to her, glass of milk coming up into his hand, that way he's not looking right at her, that may help his nerves a bit. "I think I asked before, I can't remember if you answered or not, do the bakers use any kind of chnats or whatever for the work that you do?"
Jaeyi puts the plate with the stickier of the two rolls on her lap, questions the not-important dismissal with raised eyebrows. She's not good at nothing-ing things away, the kind of person who pesters and pesters and repeats, "If you what, Kwei?" Also the kind of person who prefers to be looked at than looked away from, she leans down a little, a point made to notice that he's looking at milk and not her. And, while her heels hit with absolutely no sense of rhythm on the cupboard doors beneath her, while the rest of the kitchen has silverware to wash and bread to start slicing for lunch and oatmeal to get ladled out, she can wait in a very obvious way: she's not going to answer his question till he answers hers, so there.
Kwei is trying to concentrate here and Jaeyi's not making that easy on him with the heels bouncing next to him he turns his head round to look at her, and she's probably way too close for him but he has his glass of milk to nurse. "Just what we've talked about before. Bout if I wasn't with Vani." He murmurs softly, taking a drink of the milk to hide, though forgets to lick the moustache off straight after.
"But you are." Which is why there's nothing especially inappropriate about the fingers she's set to put under Kwei's chin, the thumb that'll take care of his milk-moustache. Nothing /especially/ inappropriate, considering the number of things Jaeyi's tried in the past. "Mmn, Trish there--" She nods across the way to an older woman just now chastising a girl very likely one of the Harper's students about why, dearie, we don't run with paring knives in our hands, off with you. "She hums sometimes? But I think her songs might be a bit randy for what you're after." More thump-click from her heels on the cupboard doors.
Kwei freezes when her fingers go to his lips, though it doesn't last long once her intentions are made clear and he smiles back at her. "Whoops. Still too nervous huh?" Not really a question. "I don't think that's really what I'm looking for." He ponders. "given I have to perform these for Cirse. I'll just have to make something up from one of the recipes then, or just abandon in favour of the weavers."
Jaeyi pats his cheek in a there, all better finale and goes to pulling apart coils of frostinged cinnamon roll. Tucking a bite into her back teeth, half-covering her mouth with her fingers, she says, "You might get more mileage from Kaida's work. I saw her at her... spinning wheel thingie? That seems like it has loads of potential. Not like--" She winces when someone knocks over a tray of pans, which then spill to the floor in a catastrophically loud clatter followed by a series of oh-sorrys and would you /please/ be more careful?! "Not like here. But you can look through a recipe book if it'll make you happy." She doesn't think it will, says that tone.
Kwei smiles and nods his head. "I've done some work with Kaida already, I've put together a drum rhythm based on one of her knitting patterns. The words that go with it are the instructions for the knitter." He explains, particularly proud of the first ever song he's written, no matter how mince it actually is. "She'd suggest I speak to the Journeyman here, there's one who actually does weaving and she reckons the looms will be really good for it after I did that other piece with her." He reaches for the other bun, the non frosted one, she remembered and bites a chunk out of it, chewing away as he watches her, swallow and. "Why do you bake?" He asks.
"Bry-something. He's happily married, apparently." The world according to Jaeyi: men she can have and ones she has to try harder to get. As to his song, "I look forward to hearing it, then. In a more--" Chop chop chop ow, I've done it again! "--appropriate venue." Look, she's even being nice enough to wipe her fingers on the corner of her apron instead of lip-chasing frosting and butter and cinnamon, giving Kwei a sort of puzzled look over the top of her own raised glass. "I don't know. Why do you play songs?" she answers.
Kwei nods his head in reply. "Yeah that's the one." He confirms with a smile and a few more bites of cinnamon roll disappear down his throat. "I play because I enjoy it, the emotions you can stir in others when they listen, an appreciative audience. There's a certain thrill to it. Performing in front of all those people."
There's a very simple question to that; "But not for yourself?" Jaeyi puts the plate off her lap back on to the counter, leaves her knees free for holding her hands which in turn hold her glass, and she clarifies, "That can't be all of it, what you can stir in other people. Don't you ever play because, I don't know, you want to? For yourself?"
Kwei smiles at her, there's a certain warmth and affection showing through in that smile as he talks about his vocation. "I enjoy doing it, whether for myself or for others, it's just a stronger sense of." He pauses, struggling for the word. "Empowerment?" He finally adds.
"So is it," begins Jaeyi, easy enough to meet his smile fondly, clearly quite content to foster warmth-and-affection under whatever terms. "Is it vanity then? Captivating people, evoking their emotions the way you want them to, it seems..." She lifts one hand from her glass, waves it at some insubstantial thing, some concept they neither one of them seem capable of pinning down verbally. "Vain. --Not a criticism," she adds promptly.
Kwei continues to smile and shakes his head, "I understand that point, I would think vanity would mean a bit more self conceit behind it, and although I know I'm good. My talent means nothing if it falls on deaf ears, the emotions have to have been there in the first lace for a good song to raise them to the surface of your consciousness." He can only hope he's making sense.
Jaeyi shakes her head quickly at that, counters, "No. No, that's not true. I've never lost someone, for example, all my hurts are little-girl hurts, but a good musician and a sad song will still put me to crying like a child." Never mind all the professions of being a poor audience. Still, proud of herself for making a point if not a particularly eloquent one, she lifts her glass and drinks to her own logic. Fuzzy as it is. "I think anyone who performs, creates, whatever must have some conceit in them," she adds, leans over to make it seem a little apologetic and confidential at once.
Kwei nods his head. "But you've got to be capable of feeling the pain that the song invokes when it's done properly. If you can't do that then it won't make a difference how good I am as a musician." Talking at cross purposes probably, but hey he's still denying the conceit, even after admitting that he knows he's good enough, he's being getting told he's good since he was young so he doesn't see it as conceit, just a fact. "Perhaps to an extent, otherwise we'd be filled with self doubt and be unable to perform for our um audience." The last comes out with a bit of a cough as she leans over, they're rather close already, his eyes dropping down and staright back up again to find hers.
"But. I don't think that's right. Somehow. Like, I suppose you do have to be capable of feeling whatever it is the song's supposed to be drawing out, yes, but if it's the song that puts it there? Or the singer, or whatever." Jaeyi, lips skewed, still can't spell it out the way she wants to, and clearly, with the half-troubled look she essays, rather wishes Kwei would just figure it out on his own. With a sigh, for once actually unaware what leaning over is doing to her um audience, she concludes, "I think it's all right to be vain, so long as it's toward good ends. If you play pretty songs to make people enjoy them and it makes you feel good, so much the better, hmn?"
Kwei tilts his head to look at her from a slightly different angle. "I hope that I can manage to evoke the right emotions when I sing my songs." He says, "Some are harder than others, ones I have no experience of, I find harder than ones I have my own emotions to pour into my efforts." He shakes his head and drinks up the last of his milk, before sliding the glass up onto the counter next to her. "I hope that's how I come across rather than being vain and conceited?" He asks, looking for some form of reassurance.
She doesn't finish her own milk or her own roll, but still stacks the dishes in the habitual way of a person that's learned the value of cleaning-as-you-go. In kitchens as busy as this, imagine the mess if no one tidied up after themselves. "Don't worry," Jaeyi says with plucky cheer, ready to leave off a conversation entirely too complicated for the both of them. Just shy of resting her forehead on Kwei's she promises like it's a big secret, "I've never thought of you as a conceited little bastard or anything." Hopefully that's reassuring enough for him?
Kwei brushes a few crumbs off his tunic as he turns his body to the side, leaning his hip against the counter. "I'll take that as a compliment." He says with a laugh as he straightens up, brushing a light kiss on her forehead in the process given they were so close already, "Thank you." The smile definitely still there as he looks at her, a twinkle in his eyes. "Is there anything else you're needing for this surprise?"
"No. And I'm sorry. I got so caught up in--" Jaeyi's fingers twitter aimlessly to indicate all-that-other-stuff, land on the counter afterward to ease her sliding on down to her feet. "That I didn't even say thank you. So. /Thank you./ Thank you thank you thank you." Off the counter, her hands clasp prettily and tuck under her chin, cherubic. There's an expectation, the way she tilts her cheek, that he'll kiss that next-- but then there's also an expectation that, this being Kwei, it's not gonna happen. It doesn't strictly make sense, but most things sixteen-year-old girls do don't make sense.
Kwei is obviously feeling a lot more confident in himself now that he's getting laid and he watches her as she drops down to stand again, leaning over and up on his toes to place his lips where indicated. "Anytime darling." He responds after the light kiss, he is straightening back up again quickly, though she's three inches taller than him so it's not like it makes much of a difference in the grand scheme of things.
In an affected pout, Jaeyi says, "Well, hell. If I'd known it was going to be that easy, I'd have picked a slightly more engaging place to be kissed." Cursing her bad fortune with a snicker, she stacks up the dishes tidily and is all set to go flouncing off to deliver them to a dishwasher-- a different dishwasher, thankfully, since that first one would not have looked kindly on little Harpers kissing 'his' Baker-- aside from a briefly fetching look cast over at the three-apples-high Harper. (See?) "I've always been fond of that little... spot right below the ear. Shall I show you?" She'd be happy to~!
"Maybe next time it's warranted." Replies Kwei with a laugh as he leans back against the counter for the moment, while she goes about sorting things out. "Just there." He asks when she comes back, pointing a finger to just the right spot on her neck. "Do all girls like that then?" He checks, a wave of curiosity shining across his features, he obviously has discovered this one already.
And apparently that's as far as her very best intentions go; "Why don't you find out?" Jaeyi even leans an elbow on the counter, which helps with the whole three-inches issue. It is a pretty neck she offers, if a little plumper and less fair than the one with which Kwei's already familiar.
It's also as far as Kwei's resolve can carry him as well. "Umm, no." As her neck is put on offer, plumper just means there's more for him to sink his teeth into and by her offer he's already managed to get his answer. "I think it's probably the same and I don't want you having the same reaction in here as Vani did when I found that spot." He explains.
Well, at least she's learned by now to contain her disappointment. Though, "Quite sure?" Yes? She'll even take a caaaaaautious step closer. "Mmn, well, if you change your mind. Should I pack you a lunch or something?" Because, if he's not going to take bites of her, darnit, Jaeyi can at least give him something practical with which to go about his day.
Kwei nods his head at her question, though it's longer before he can tear his eyes away her neck. "Lunch, change mind, umm." He blinks and refocuses on her. "Lunch, would be great if you really don't mind." He offers up one of his best charming smiles, which all told is a really nice smile that he probably charms his way through some of the older aunties and leaves some of the younger ones all wistful. But Jaeyi?
But Jaeyi what? She's a girl, isn't she, and she must think Kwei's cute or she wouldn't be-- well, offering him bites and things, would she? She basks duly in light of that smile, then its fingers drumming the counter top and, again, "Wait here." He asked why she's a Baker, and there's no better answer than the way she bounces around the kitchen, collecting up a sandwich, picking through a bowl of fruit to find a pretty pear, looking irritated that someone's left the crackers out and they've gone stale so she has to go and get out a new jar, to put it all in a little lunch basket that she ties up on her way back. The short version: she likes feeding people, it makes her happy.
Can never be sure how Jaeyi the baker will react differently to those girls he normally interacts with. At her command to 'wait here' Kwei does exactly that, staying put, leaning against the counter while his eyes follow her, marking her progress as she, to him, dances around the kitchen in search of all the things she wants to feed to him for lunch. Making note of it all see if he can use it for that song.
Probably not. Unless it involves rattling around jars that are supposed to contain crackers and finding out they contain peanuts instead. But Jaeyi gets what she's after at the end, brings it all over and sets it down on the counter next to Kwei. Again. Triumphant. Again. Like she doesn't do this all day long. "There you are. Now I won't worry that you're off somewhere expiring from hunger," she concludes with a peachy smile of her own.
It's the feeling and emotional drive that goes into the creative process that matters, and in this case watching the baker fuss around in her own performance to deliver the final article to him is more than enough. "Thank you again." He tells her as he pushes away from the counter top to look up at her. "With you around to feed me, I'm sure that'll never happen." He replies sincerely.
"I'm fairly sure," begins Jaeyi with a thoughtful purse of her lips, "that would be the final straw for my apprenticeship. If all of the sudden people started dying of hunger around here. Sort of like if people's eardrums started bleeding or something, they might question your capabilities." Neither of which are the most elegant lines of thought, but, leaning with both elbows behind her on the counter, she does entertain the notions for a few morbid moments. Then, brightly, moving on thankfully, "You're welcome," with a smile to Kwei's eyes at that.
Kwei shakes his head with a laugh. "It wouldn't go down well that's for sure, and my audience with Cirse would likely get cancelled." He adds with a mock sigh. "Anyway, I suppose my task was completed a while ago, I'm probably getting listed as missing action or something." He says with a sigh as he reaches past her for the basket aiming a kiss towards her cheek on the way past, that's his intention anyway.
Seeing as it's Jaeyi we're dealing with, there'll never be any knowing whether she actually meant to just glance at the basket or whether turning her head so it's more the corner of her mouth, less the apple of her cheek where the kiss lands. The fingers that fold up in the front of his tunic, though, since he's like right there and all, there's no pretending that's not on purpose. "They'll send a search party for you, will they?" she asks in one of her furtive little whispers.
There was no intentions of smooching or anything, just a light friendly kiss to say thank you for the packed lunch so although his lips catch hers he's not lingering. Well until she takes hold of his tunic and holds him nice and close. "If the journeyman notices I'm not there, he'll send at least one of the class out to find me, I'm supposed to be playing the teaching songs today." Held close enough that she'll be able to feel his breath blowing warm on her face, his hand going to the counter edge to steady himself.
A glance finds its way over his shoulder before Jaeyi's looking right back at Kwei with very serious-seeming eyes, gravity quite at odds with the rest of the situation. "That might be a little awkward," she answers, as to one-of-the-class being sent on a rescue mission. "You best go then." Except, still with his shirt in her fingers, just a little press closer by virtue of straightening some on her elbow, she's not really aiming to make best-go-then an immediate prophesy.
This is the closest he's been to Jaeyi, well other than that time in the commons, but even so Kwei finds her presence this close is intoxicating. His body tense, the hand that isn't holding him up is held out at his side, no idea where to put that other than keep it out of the way so he doesn't end up putting it on her, his tongue licking nervously at his lips, his eyes locked on hers as she speaks to him, it's using up too much of his attention thinking about these little things that he's not really in a position to be paying all that much attention to the words. "Umm yes." Is all of what makes it past his suddenly dry lips.
Not a good idea to go agreeing blindly with Jaeyi. For the record. Because the next suggestion is, "Or stay a while." Something's got to give, some crash of dishes or someone come looking for one or the other of them, something to make this a survivable situation. Something other than her drawing against Kwei, all the warm, soft, sugary smelling silliness of her too close to be properly fair. She takes a breath. She leans in. She lets go of his shirt with a very careful smile in place. No harm done?
Kwei is concentrating very hard, framed by thick black lashes she has very lovely dark brown eyes that he would just sink towards if he wasn't concentrating so much on keeping the rest of his body in check. The release of his shirt helps with a bit of that tension and gives him a bit more active brain power, he blinks a few times. "Time for me to go yes?" He asks stupidly even if he's not actually moved away anywhere yet despite her leaning closer.
Yes? "No." Jaeyi shakes her head only a very little against the whispered answer, since much more than a very little might result in upsetting an already precarious arrangement of their respective persons. Having quit his shirt, there's nothing useful for her hand to do but reach toward his, fingertips to brush against the inside curl of his conscientiously not-touching-her fingers. It's not kissing, not technically, but her lips are very definitely faintly a tiny bit touching Kwei's.
There's a little moan of frustration escapes from Kwei's lips, her breath warm on his lips as she shakes her head, even that little movement enough for him to feel it. His eyes close tightly and stay that way until her fingertips brush against his, the little spark of physical contact enough that his fingers close reflexively, snagging hers in the process. The spark doesn't stop there though, it seems to travel quickly through him, breaking down the last of his resolve as he pushes his lips forward that last whisper of a distance to press against hers.
That little gasp is actually one of surprise, believe it or not, because she really hadn't expected that to work. Now she wishes she had her fingers back, since pulling at the front of Kwei's tunic now would be an even more appealing prospect, but Jaeyi makes do getting her fingers tangled in his and aiming to draw now attached hands back, to pull that arm around her waist. She is, probably obviously, a very kissable person, soft and receptive and beckoning lips all sans shyness. It's not... safe to go on kissing her very long, though, not the way she presses closer and would very clearly have more and deeper kisses. In the kitchen. In the middle of the morning.
It's with a quickly deepening passion that Kwei sinks into the kiss, pressing into Jaeyi as he goes. All that teasing she's done to him in the past catching up and paying dividends now, well until there is a loud crash as something metallic and heavy hits the floor. A large porridge pot rolling across the floor in the next aisle as Jaeyi's dishwasher admirer looks on in shocked anger? Kwei jerks back as if electrocuted, hands immediately smoothing down the front of his tunic. "Thanks for lunch." He manages to stammer as he makes a grab for the basket. See only one person saw it! He hopes. "I'll um speak to you later right?" He's starting to back up a bit, making sure there's enough distance between them so that when one of the cooks comes to start scolding the dishwasher for spilling the mostly empty porridge pot him and Jaeyi are at a safer distance.
Jaeyi will wind up stabbing someone one day, wait and see, probably the butterfingered dishwasher. Abrupt as that ends, she only manages not to land rather hard back against the edge of the counter by virtue of the fact that the one hand is nearly behind her anyway. Still, she has to push to stand upright, quietly wiping her lips with a folded forefinger, giving Kwei a rather worried look-- sort of the same kind of look she might give someone whose hair has just caught on fire only they don't seem to have noticed yet, waiting for the ensuing panic to resolve itself. She can't really say anything-- 'Sorry we we totally had tongues in each others' mouths, see you later?' Doesn't seem right. So she just sort of nods busily to send him on his way; she'll save looking troubled for when he's safely out of the kitchen, yes.
Kwei bobs his head as he looks at her, his gaze flickering down then back up again to meet he eyes. There is a faint smile still showing on his lips thanks to what just happened between them, yet confusion is the reigning emotion in his posture and his eyes. "Yeah." He murmurs quietly before he turns and walks away, not quite a run, but certainly hurried, if she's listening really hard she may hear a faint whisper that might have sounded like. "Idiot!"